Johnny Rockets serves burgers which are generally high in sodium and fat. Ensure that you pick the burgers which are light and doesn't contain too much sodium. Try ordering salads if you're concerned about your sugar intake and looking for healthy choices.
Foods to Avoid at Johnny Rockets for Diabetics:
Johnny Rockets is a fine dining place for burgers, but you must be selective if you're a diabetic. Skip all kinds of dressing when you order a burger at Johnny Rockets as it will only spike the sodium content on your meal. Salads are often considered diabetic-friendly but not the ones at Johnny Rockets. Avoid Crispy Chicken Club Salad and Grilled Chicken Club Salad as they are too high in sodium and fat.
Make sure you opt for water instead of the drinks available on the Johnny Rockets menu. Besides Diet Coke and Coffee, most of the drinks served at Johnny Rockets are high in sugar. Skip the shakes at Johnny Rockets to avoid high sugar intake. Breakfast is always preferred heavy for diabetics but most of the breakfast items on the Johnny Rockets menu are high in sodium and must be avoided.
Healthy Meal suggestions for Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery
Starters
Soups & Salads
Sandwiches
Steakburgers
Main Dishes
Main Dishes - Seafood
Pizzas
Sides
Kids Menu
Kids Menu - Side Dishes
Kids Menu - Dessert
Kid's Beverage
Desserts
Beverages
High Blood Pressure at Johnny Rockets
Fast-food restaurants are your last resort if you are suffering from high BP. Most fast food restaurants including Johnny Rockets offer foods rich in sodium. High sodium intake can be even lethal for people concerned with high blood pressure. However, you can always try the salads or choose food without any extra dressing or side dishes to limit your sodium intake.
Foods to Avoid at Johnny Rockets for High Blood Pressure
It is extremely important to avoid any kind of burgers with extra dressing at Johnny Rockets. You must also skip any kind of breakfast items except Pancakes at Johnny Rockets. Also, avoid Breakfast Belt Sandwich and Rocket Breakfast Burger at Johnny Rockets as both these items are too high in sodium. Also, avoid Crispy Chicken Salad and Grilled Chicken Club Salad as well as any kind of dressing on other low-sodium salads available at Johnny Rockets. Skip shakes containing Oreo on the Johnny Rockets menu as Oreo shakes served at Johnny Rockets are high in sodium.
Food Suggestions for High Blood Pressure at Johnny Rockets
Burgers fall into the fast-food category and most fast-food items are high in cholesterol. If you're suffering from high cholesterol, then it is advised that you skip any meal with excessive fat and sugar.
Foods to Avoid at Johnny Rockets for High Cholesterol
You must skip all types of dressing on your burger. Also, avoid burgers like Smoke House Burger at all costs from Johnny Rockets menu. Skip all the drinks except coffee, iced tea, and diet coke as they are completely unhealthy for people with high cholesterol. Breakfast items on Johnny Rockets are very high in cholesterol and it is strictly recommended to avoid all the breakfast items on their menu including the sandwiches.
Food Suggestions to Maintain Cholesterol Level at Johnny Rockets
We had a strange visit at rock bottom. We walked in, and waited a couple minutes to be seated. My boyfriend asked the two staff members who were chatting nearby if it was open seating (because no one had even spoken to us yet), and they said yes. So, we sat ourselves and waited to get drinks and menus, probably a little more than 5 minutes. We watched other patrons be seated by staff and became confused. Luckily, a waitress walked by us and noticed we were there. She asked if anyone gave us menus or seated us, to which we told her the story. She was very apologetic and gave us great service during the rest of our meal, which luckily came rather quickly. I did enjoy the food, but it was a very unusual situation, definitely one I've never encountered. I know we're a little unsure about going back.
(3)
Giulia J.
If this was the only brewery in town, then maybe I'd go there. Food is average at best and beer is decent but overpriced. Service staff spent more time talking to each other than they did serving tables.
(1)
Brooke P.
I have been riding my bike quite a bit lately and usually need a nice cold glass of beer during the ride. We have discovered that only a mile or so off the greenbelt trail is Rock Bottom (they could use a bike rack). I have been there in the past but not till lately and have been really enjoying the brew. The food is not bad either but to be honest I usually just go for the beer. They have a good selection and generally have a handful of seasonal beers on tap as well. I do recall the nachos being quite tasty. The staff has always been very nice - I like to sit at the bar!
(4)
Erika H.
Went there today on a lunch date with my 4 year old. His choice because he wanted to make his own pizza. A favorite of mine is the avocado chicken sandwich, yum! We needed to be in and out in 30-45 min and that was not a problem. We didn't even have to mention to the waitress, she was great!
(4)
Jeff K.
After reading the reviews of this place we weren't sure because of the poor service that seems to be the biggest complaint. We went there with 4 adults and 2 children on a Sunday night. the place was 1/2 to 3/4's full and service was excellent. My only complaint was that the Habanero Shrimp appetizer was not even spicy. Other than that the food was good, beer was good and the service was excellent. Will go there again.
(4)
Donald Y.
For a chain restaurant/brewery Rock Bottom does seem to do things right. They aren't the best brewery in the metro but they are consistent and they have a good selection on both the menu and the taps. Their chicken fried chicken is one of the best in the city, and they also serve a pretty wicked chipotle BBQ chicken pizza. They constantly rotate seasonal beers every month or so which is always exciting to see what they bring out next. Come in for happy hour for cheaper beers and apps.
(4)
Bret s.
Food was not bad beer was good although the saison was brewed with lavender and it was a bit overpowering for that style beer. This is more restaurant than brewery, it was good not great and did not impress me that much.
(3)
AF W.
Good nachos, stopped for meal. All we had was the nachos, to full for meal. Beer is always good, nice happy hour
(4)
Tasha H.
Nice building, immediate seating around 2 pm on Saturday! Server was terrible! We had to ask for our drinks refilled, she never checked on us and she fanned her self swinging sweat off of her.. My daughter ordered a "make your own pizza" where they being out the dough and sauce cheese and pepperoni and she got to put it all together than they would cook it. After my daughter was done she didn't come back around for 10 mins. Then picked up her pizza and went two tables down to where a young well dressed male was sitting and stood there with my daughters uncooked pizza talking and flirting for 10 mins. No joke I timed it. My daughters pizza ended up coming out later than the rest of the food. While the food was good, they don't give u nearly enough to even be satisfied especially fr the price! Everything ranges in between $10-19 per plate. All burgers come with a side but get charged 0.95$ extra. Husband got tacos and they gave him two small tacos and a tablespoon of rice. Drinks are overpriced, and not that great. Go somewhere else.
(1)
Jim J.
I can only give them 3 stars because of the poor service. It took over 5 minutes for the waitress to take my beverage order and then I rarely saw her after that. Beer was good but not exceptional. Fish tacos were really good and filling. If the service wasn't so terribly slow I would have tried another beer. I had the white ale which was light and refreshing. I don't mean to beat a dead horse but if the service was half way decent I would have liked to try the red ale. But the waitress saved me a couple of dollars and cost her a bigger tip. I might try it again and maybe a better waitress will bring the rating up.
(3)
Enrique R.
Red Ale for starers...
(3)
Kevin T.
My Fiance and I set out to have a celebratory drink after a great day for both of us but the food stole the show. I had the Prime & Cheddar sandwich with fresh fruit side. The sandwich was tender and flavorful but was little on the cheddar. Fruit was fresh and good. My Fiance had ponzu salmon with Asian veggies and rice dinner. I am not a fan of salmon but she raved about how good it was and she would eat this again. The beers are always good and if you are not sure on a particular brew just ask for a free sample!
Food is pretty good. Beer is severely overpriced... RRBC and other breweries in the area are much better...
(3)
Megan H.
Beer = four stars. Food = one star. Since I come here for the beer more than the food, I'll say that equals roughly three stars. The last time we came here, I literally could not find anything on the menu that sounded good / that I hadn't tried before so already knew was awful / that wasn't loaded down with grease and cheese. What is with the food lately? I think it used to be better... either that, or I didn't know better. Yes, it's a chain, and I rarely visit or review chains, but I REALLY like the beer and there isn't much else in the area that I find appealing. Not a bad atmosphere during sporting events in the bar, otherwise it gets pretty empty at night. Love their pumpkin beer in the fall! I go to West Des Moines just to buy growlers of it!
(3)
Karen Anne B.
Somewhere between 2 and 3 stars really. I went here with a group of about 10-12 people on a Friday night. The first arrivals were seated when I arrived, so I assume there was no wait and they obviously didn't get picky about not seating us until the entire group had arrived. The service was 4 star, the waitress was good natured with our group of goofballs and did separate checks without making a fuss about it. I wasn't in the mood for beer, but I assume it was average to decent based on everyone else's comments. Their vegetarian entrees are basically non-existent so I ordered the mac n cheese, sans chicken. It had very little flavor and was a little soupy. I would have rather eaten Kraft mac n cheese. My opinion: go for some beer and snacks, but have dinner elsewhere.
(3)
Dawn O.
It's okay. My steak was pretty good. Pineapple mojito was different. Have to try it again!
(3)
Andrea T.
I have been here a few times for business dinners and once otherwise. This place is alright but not great at all. The food is not very unique. The first time I went here, they ran out of what three of us ordered and it took them forever to tell us so our wait was rather long. Another time, they dropped both of our meals, made us new ones, burnt those and then after over an hour, got us good ones. We were not hungry at all by that point so we barely ate any of it. They were nice enough to cut our bill to only the beer. Overall, not impressed.
(2)
Ethan M.
Good food. Great beer. Not too pricy. It has a great atmosphere.
(4)
Adam W.
Great beer, great staff but the food has really gone downhill. I can only recommend burgers or nachos. Portions seems to be a lot smaller on most of the appetizers as well.
(3)
John R.
I liked this place. The inside of the restaurant is clean and modern. For a brewery, I would say their beers are slightly above average compared to others that I have had. Their food is fresh; I got the guacamole which was freshly crushed and homemade tortilla chips that were still soft in places. I visited on a saturday while college football was on. I ordered two beers and an appetizer for $13; pretty good for craft beers.
(4)
Hugh J.
Why is this place so busy most of the time? I guess it's because West Des Moines-ners live too far away from better places like Raccoon River Brewery or Court Avenue Brewing Co. The in-house brews were okay...the food tasted like Applebee's/Perkins fare. I usually like to try something unique when I visit a restaurant. Well, EVERY SINGLE item on the menu was so ordinary, plain, simple, blah, been-there-done-that. My advice is to AVOID this chain and spend your dollars at a local brewery that has much better food and less West Des Moines cougars. My friends and I describe Rock Bottom as a cougar infested overpriced Applebee's.
(1)
Dan L.
Great beer and great food! Their wild thing series beers are awesome!
Ever since I've moved to Des Moines Rock Bottom has been my go to spot whenever we can't figure where to go out to eat. It has never let me down so far. The menu has something for almost everyone. I think they have one of the best burgers in West DSM, the 2 am burger and pretty good steaks. Price for drinks are a little high for me.
(4)
Dan L.
Went here on Black Friday, apparently that was a mistake. Restaurant not very busy but service was terrible, Waited for at least 13 minutes before anyone noticed that we might need a drink, in the bar area. My wife got a burger and coleslaw, burger was ok but the slaw tasted funny. Bartender was not very attentative. If you want to just try something different come here if you want more, Go somewhere else.
(2)
J B.
Fun place, nice decor, with very good food! Hubby had a blackened chicken salad and enjoyed it with a Red Ale. I had maybe the best club sandwich I've ever had I think! Service was AOK. They sure gave you lots of food to make up for prices a little on the high side for Des Moines.
(4)
Lindsay B.
I enjoy drinking craft beers and I have great respect for brewers who understand how to brew a variety of beers. The brewer at the Rock Bottom in West Des Moines fails to meet the standard of a quality brewer. He/she throws hops into a majority of the beers on tap, which comes off as lazy. The stout is hoppy! The stout! Why? A good and true stout does not have a hoppy taste. There are plenty of other hoppy beers offered on the menu for customers who enjoy hoppy beers. Not everyone likes IPAs and overly hoppy beers. Forcing all the customers to choose from a menu loaded with hoppy beers is insulting.
(1)
Stephen O.
I had a citrus-flavored beer. It was good, but not good enough that I wanted another. The sirloin steak was tender, but not real flavorful. The cilantro sauce was good and helped flavor the meat. I was with a group. The service was good and all were pleased with their selections.
(3)
David S.
I love going to Rock Bottom! The food is consistently good, the beers are great, and the prices are spot on. Also, all of their burgers are 100% certified Angus beef. I like that they have a few standard brews all year, and they also have seasonal brews. My favorite seasonal brew is the Stand-up IPA. It's a typical IPA but does not have a bitter finish. My wife loves the Pumpkin Spiced Ale that has a sugar ring around the mug! Also, you can buy 60oz growlers of beer to-go!! Even though it is a chain restaurant, it still feels like a local brewery. If you join the loyalty program, which is called Rock Rewards, you get emails with deals like a burger and beer for $10. For the week before Father's Day, you can get a wood-fried pizza and a growler of beer for $12! You also get emails for new beer tapings that occur year round. Rock Bottom is also a family friendly restaurant. My wife and kids frequently go, and it's never too loud or raunchy. They have crayons for kids and a good selection on the kids menu. Always a good time!!
(5)
Sara W.
Everything was super tasty! We loved the chorizo pretzel bites. We enjoyed large samplers (don't order a flight, the bartender will say they don't serve flights) The stout was thin. Locals were sweet and helpful.
(4)
Bill L.
Came here for lunch before lunch one day and had a good experience! Went in at the exact moment they opened for lunch and the staff members were very friendly and professional. I did not really know what to expect when coming here, I just knew I wanted to come here for a while since I always pass it when going to Barnes and Noble. The menu was extensive, but not overwhelming, I decided I wanted to have their Guac and Chips for the appetizer and their Mac and Chicken for the entree. The Guac and Chips were very very good, probably one of the best I've ever had at a restaurant, you immediately tell the chips are not ordinary with the excellent taste and texture. The Mac and Chicken was good also! It comes in a bowl which makes it look like there's not a lot, but there's a good amount inside! The alcohol list looked nice, but I did not partake in it due to having to work after lunch. Overall, had a great experience. The interior decor is very nice and upscale as well. I am eager to see how their other menu items taste and how the atmosphere is during dinner!
(5)
Erin H.
We used to love Rock Bottom and go often before more local craft breweries were opened in recent years. I find their beer just ok, but the food is solid. I like that they keep favorites on the menu, but they also continue to add new options and seasonal dishes. We typically have good service.
(3)
Tina S.
I am here for a girls' weekend to celebrate my birthday!!! The food is totally delicious! Service qas just okay...as it got busier, our server got less attentive. ... I get it, I just didn't appreciate it!! I must say again... everything we ordered at our table was amazingly fresh, seasoned and piping hot when brought to our table!
(4)
Todd H.
Have been coming here for over 15 yrs and have never had a bad meal or bad experience. Staff is always friendly and attentive and the food and beer is always fantastic! Favorite thing to order is the BBQ chicken pizza and their chicken nachos are some of the best in Des Moines! I've had everything from the sandwiches to the pasta to the steaks and every single time the food is outstanding! It's a great place to bring our 5 yr old son or just me and my wife. Highly recommend coming here!
(4)
Karen W.
Stopped while traveling cross-country with our dog-we were worried about leaving him in the car. We asked the manager if we could bring him on the patio and he invited us to bring him inside, if he was well behaved. We did and he hung out under our table while we consumed great beer, big, delicious salads and chicken enchiladas! The service was superior and the food was great. That we could bring our dog in and were so welcoming, made this a great experience! We will not hesitate to visit other Rock Bottom's in the future!
(5)
Mike M.
Beers are solid with a nice selection and they have growler fills. This review is more about the reuben as I continue my quest to find the best one, wherever that may be. I've stopped by here before on road trips for a bit and this last time I decided to try the reuben. I was curious about their use of Bavarian style sauerkraut using caraway seeds instead of the standard kraut without the caraway. Sadly, I could not taste the caraway at all in their reuben. The bread was good quality rye, but unfortunately it was pretty much all that I tasted. The corned beef was not as tender as it good be and lacked flavor. The kraut was also fairly flavorless as was the Russian dressing. All in all it was a 2 star reuben. They get an additional star for the beer and service at the bar.
(3)
Adam B.
Yelp defines a three star review as "A-OK". That's perfectly accurate for Rock Bottom. At Rock Bottom, you'll get good (not great) food, good (not great) beer, all served with good (not great) service. When it's all said and done, you'll be handed your guest check with a dollar amount that's higher than you're expecting. I don't mean any of that in a negative way (well, except the bill part). I've always liked the food, beer, and service at Rock Bottom. It's all been perfectly fine. However, nothing has ever stood out or come off as exceptional. In a sea of mediocre or inconsistent restaurants, being consistently good matters, and Rock Bottom can lay claim to that. It's a good thing. My only major beef with Rock Bottom is the pricing. It just feels too high and not commensurate with the experience. I'm perfectly comfortable with spending a fair amount of cash on a meal, but the value has to come along with it. Rock Bottom feels like the value derived is exactly equal to dollars spent. A great restaurant should make you feel like you get more value than you're spending. That doesn't mean it has to be cheap -- I can easily justify $60 for two meals and drinks when it feels like the food and service were worth $75. At Rock Bottom, you'll spend $49.99 and get $49.99 in value. Being merely "good" is a major problem when you're in a competitive niche, and the high-end brewpub concept is no slouch in the Des Moines metro. Raccoon River Brewing Company and Exile Brewing Company come to mind as other great local brewpubs (albeit both downtown). Take a trip a little further west down University Avenue and you'll find Granite City Food and Brewery in Clive, where you'll pay very similar prices to Rock Bottom, except you'll get better service, absolutely stupid large portions, and far better beer. You'll be happy if you eat at Rock Bottom. It's perfectly A-OK. You'll just be a lot happier if you eat local at Raccoon River or Exile, or head west down the same road (University Avenue) and eat at Granite City in Clive.
(3)
Sherry B.
We love Rock Bottom. It's a casual, comfortable restaurant with great food and great service. The prices are average and their is a decent menu selection with a little bit for everyone.
(5)
Jennifer W.
I went yesterday around 4:30. I had the vanilla ale, Blue slider, BBQ pork slider, and fries. My husband had the American slider and buffalo chicken slider. For $2 bucks a slider, it's a pretty good deal. I wasn't a fan of our waitress. She brought the food fast but not very personable or helpful. All in all, I don't ever go out of my way for this place, but I would definitely come back for the Wednesday deal :)
(3)
Kelly K.
We've gone here because they have a do-it-yourself pizza on the kid's menu that makes my son very happy, and sometimes that's worth everything. This is usually a meeting place when I get together with my family, seems like a good spot. All the beer I've had here is very good. It seems like they've changed the menu in the last few years and none of it really holds my interest. Last time I had a turkey burger, for something different, it was good, but lacked flavor. We usually meet here for lunch, I like a sandwich and fries for lunch, but the menu doesn't offer that many sandwich options. The ambiance is great, lots of big booths to sit in.
(3)
Jeffrey N.
Rock Bottom has some good in house beer but otherwise it's a mediocre chain restaurant in disguise. Given that there isn't much other than chain restaurants in the immediate vicinity, one could do worse. However, that's no excuse for average food. If you are hungry and have a car, drive somewhere else.
(2)
Stephanie P.
Really good food and beer. We took a party of 15 here and they had great service. My favorite is the mac and cheese. Menu has lots if choices. Great place for gatherings and enjoying beer.
(4)
Travis N.
This place is a TGI Fridays with a really good beer selection. That being established, the food needs work.
(2)
Drew H.
The Asiago Cheese Dip on the Beerbread is awesome. Other than that I'd say the menu looks ok, but there isn't a lot of stuff that interests me for entrees.
(3)
Joseph D.
If you like beer, this is the place to go. They only have eight or so in-house brews, but they are really tasty. They have awesome food too, and their menu has a great variety. Any flavor, any taste, anybody can find a dish they like here. If you join their "Mug Club" you can earn prizes based on how often you visit. So far, I've earned a pint glass and a baseball cap. The one down side is that after Happy Hour is over, this place really dies down and there isn't much of a "scene" in the later evening.
(4)
DeWayne K.
I really like this place, the beer and Mac and Cheese are to die for!! They will also store your personal mug above the bar for a small fee.
(4)
Q & A on Johnny Rockets
Who owns Johnny Rockets?
Johnny Rockets is founded by Ronn Teitelbaum. Today, the restaurant chain is owned by Sun Capital Partners.
Does Johnny Rockets serve breakfast?
Yes, Johnny Rockets has a separate breakfast section, especially for breakfast meal. Johnny Rockets serves breakfast all day and night.
Where is Johnny Rockets located near me?
There are over 320 Johnny Rockets outlets across the United States. You can find a Johnny Rockets restaurant nearby using our Restaurant Listings directory.
What time does Johnny Rockets open and close?
All Johnny Rockets restaurants in the United States opens at 8 AM and stays open till 9 PM. Some Johnny Rockets restaurants stay open till midnight at some locations.
Does Johnny Rockets have gluten-free?
Johnny Rockets offers a wide range of gluten-free items. You can opt for the gluten-free bun to turn your burger into a gluten-free burger. For assurance, you can check out Johnny Rockets gluten-free menu.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
About Johnny Rockets
Johnny Rockets is a restaurant franchise headquartered in the United States. The American restaurant chain features 1950s diner-style restaurant format with individual jukebox stations, red vinyl seats, chrome accents, etc. There are around 320 Johnny Rockets restaurants in the United States.
Ron Teitelbaum from Los Angeles, California founded Johnny Rockets as a recreation of the 1940s vintage themed malt shops of his childhood. The first Johnny Rockets began its operations on June 6, 1986. Johnny Rockets specializes in American burgers and sandwiches as well as offers salads, starters, and shakes to enrich your dining experience at Johnny Rockets.
Healthy Food Options at Johnny Rockets
Johnny Rockets is a fast-food restaurant and finding healthy food at Johnny Rockets can be a bit tricky. While you can always opt for the salads and healthy shakes at Johnny Rockets for healthy options, there are also some healthy burgers and sandwiches which you can bet on. Ensure that the sugar, sodium, and cholesterol is in check when you order food at Johnny Rockets.
Address :4508 University Ave
West Des Moines, IA, 50266
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Sarah P.
We had a strange visit at rock bottom. We walked in, and waited a couple minutes to be seated. My boyfriend asked the two staff members who were chatting nearby if it was open seating (because no one had even spoken to us yet), and they said yes. So, we sat ourselves and waited to get drinks and menus, probably a little more than 5 minutes. We watched other patrons be seated by staff and became confused. Luckily, a waitress walked by us and noticed we were there. She asked if anyone gave us menus or seated us, to which we told her the story. She was very apologetic and gave us great service during the rest of our meal, which luckily came rather quickly. I did enjoy the food, but it was a very unusual situation, definitely one I've never encountered. I know we're a little unsure about going back.
(3)Giulia J.
If this was the only brewery in town, then maybe I'd go there. Food is average at best and beer is decent but overpriced. Service staff spent more time talking to each other than they did serving tables.
(1)Brooke P.
I have been riding my bike quite a bit lately and usually need a nice cold glass of beer during the ride. We have discovered that only a mile or so off the greenbelt trail is Rock Bottom (they could use a bike rack). I have been there in the past but not till lately and have been really enjoying the brew. The food is not bad either but to be honest I usually just go for the beer. They have a good selection and generally have a handful of seasonal beers on tap as well. I do recall the nachos being quite tasty. The staff has always been very nice - I like to sit at the bar!
(4)Erika H.
Went there today on a lunch date with my 4 year old. His choice because he wanted to make his own pizza. A favorite of mine is the avocado chicken sandwich, yum! We needed to be in and out in 30-45 min and that was not a problem. We didn't even have to mention to the waitress, she was great!
(4)Jeff K.
After reading the reviews of this place we weren't sure because of the poor service that seems to be the biggest complaint. We went there with 4 adults and 2 children on a Sunday night. the place was 1/2 to 3/4's full and service was excellent. My only complaint was that the Habanero Shrimp appetizer was not even spicy. Other than that the food was good, beer was good and the service was excellent. Will go there again.
(4)Donald Y.
For a chain restaurant/brewery Rock Bottom does seem to do things right. They aren't the best brewery in the metro but they are consistent and they have a good selection on both the menu and the taps. Their chicken fried chicken is one of the best in the city, and they also serve a pretty wicked chipotle BBQ chicken pizza. They constantly rotate seasonal beers every month or so which is always exciting to see what they bring out next. Come in for happy hour for cheaper beers and apps.
(4)Bret s.
Food was not bad beer was good although the saison was brewed with lavender and it was a bit overpowering for that style beer. This is more restaurant than brewery, it was good not great and did not impress me that much.
(3)AF W.
Good nachos, stopped for meal. All we had was the nachos, to full for meal. Beer is always good, nice happy hour
(4)Tasha H.
Nice building, immediate seating around 2 pm on Saturday! Server was terrible! We had to ask for our drinks refilled, she never checked on us and she fanned her self swinging sweat off of her.. My daughter ordered a "make your own pizza" where they being out the dough and sauce cheese and pepperoni and she got to put it all together than they would cook it. After my daughter was done she didn't come back around for 10 mins. Then picked up her pizza and went two tables down to where a young well dressed male was sitting and stood there with my daughters uncooked pizza talking and flirting for 10 mins. No joke I timed it. My daughters pizza ended up coming out later than the rest of the food. While the food was good, they don't give u nearly enough to even be satisfied especially fr the price! Everything ranges in between $10-19 per plate. All burgers come with a side but get charged 0.95$ extra. Husband got tacos and they gave him two small tacos and a tablespoon of rice. Drinks are overpriced, and not that great. Go somewhere else.
(1)Jim J.
I can only give them 3 stars because of the poor service. It took over 5 minutes for the waitress to take my beverage order and then I rarely saw her after that. Beer was good but not exceptional. Fish tacos were really good and filling. If the service wasn't so terribly slow I would have tried another beer. I had the white ale which was light and refreshing. I don't mean to beat a dead horse but if the service was half way decent I would have liked to try the red ale. But the waitress saved me a couple of dollars and cost her a bigger tip. I might try it again and maybe a better waitress will bring the rating up.
(3)Enrique R.
Red Ale for starers...
(3)Kevin T.
My Fiance and I set out to have a celebratory drink after a great day for both of us but the food stole the show. I had the Prime & Cheddar sandwich with fresh fruit side. The sandwich was tender and flavorful but was little on the cheddar. Fruit was fresh and good. My Fiance had ponzu salmon with Asian veggies and rice dinner. I am not a fan of salmon but she raved about how good it was and she would eat this again. The beers are always good and if you are not sure on a particular brew just ask for a free sample!
(4)Matt V.
Very Disappointing. Appetizer came out with the entrée. My wife's entrée was fine, mine was ice cold. Server forgot to bring back refills. No one ever came to ask about our experience. I used to love this place, but it has some definite management issues.
(1)Luke S.
Food is pretty good. Beer is severely overpriced... RRBC and other breweries in the area are much better...
(3)Megan H.
Beer = four stars. Food = one star. Since I come here for the beer more than the food, I'll say that equals roughly three stars. The last time we came here, I literally could not find anything on the menu that sounded good / that I hadn't tried before so already knew was awful / that wasn't loaded down with grease and cheese. What is with the food lately? I think it used to be better... either that, or I didn't know better. Yes, it's a chain, and I rarely visit or review chains, but I REALLY like the beer and there isn't much else in the area that I find appealing. Not a bad atmosphere during sporting events in the bar, otherwise it gets pretty empty at night. Love their pumpkin beer in the fall! I go to West Des Moines just to buy growlers of it!
(3)Karen Anne B.
Somewhere between 2 and 3 stars really. I went here with a group of about 10-12 people on a Friday night. The first arrivals were seated when I arrived, so I assume there was no wait and they obviously didn't get picky about not seating us until the entire group had arrived. The service was 4 star, the waitress was good natured with our group of goofballs and did separate checks without making a fuss about it. I wasn't in the mood for beer, but I assume it was average to decent based on everyone else's comments. Their vegetarian entrees are basically non-existent so I ordered the mac n cheese, sans chicken. It had very little flavor and was a little soupy. I would have rather eaten Kraft mac n cheese. My opinion: go for some beer and snacks, but have dinner elsewhere.
(3)Dawn O.
It's okay. My steak was pretty good. Pineapple mojito was different. Have to try it again!
(3)Andrea T.
I have been here a few times for business dinners and once otherwise. This place is alright but not great at all. The food is not very unique. The first time I went here, they ran out of what three of us ordered and it took them forever to tell us so our wait was rather long. Another time, they dropped both of our meals, made us new ones, burnt those and then after over an hour, got us good ones. We were not hungry at all by that point so we barely ate any of it. They were nice enough to cut our bill to only the beer. Overall, not impressed.
(2)Ethan M.
Good food. Great beer. Not too pricy. It has a great atmosphere.
(4)Adam W.
Great beer, great staff but the food has really gone downhill. I can only recommend burgers or nachos. Portions seems to be a lot smaller on most of the appetizers as well.
(3)John R.
I liked this place. The inside of the restaurant is clean and modern. For a brewery, I would say their beers are slightly above average compared to others that I have had. Their food is fresh; I got the guacamole which was freshly crushed and homemade tortilla chips that were still soft in places. I visited on a saturday while college football was on. I ordered two beers and an appetizer for $13; pretty good for craft beers.
(4)Hugh J.
Why is this place so busy most of the time? I guess it's because West Des Moines-ners live too far away from better places like Raccoon River Brewery or Court Avenue Brewing Co. The in-house brews were okay...the food tasted like Applebee's/Perkins fare. I usually like to try something unique when I visit a restaurant. Well, EVERY SINGLE item on the menu was so ordinary, plain, simple, blah, been-there-done-that. My advice is to AVOID this chain and spend your dollars at a local brewery that has much better food and less West Des Moines cougars. My friends and I describe Rock Bottom as a cougar infested overpriced Applebee's.
(1)Dan L.
Great beer and great food! Their wild thing series beers are awesome!
(5)Andrew W.
How to best describe Rock Bottom? It is difficult because there are so many choices: Middle of the road, passé, mediocre, indifferent. Rock Bottom is a chain with about 40 links across the US. They offer a wide selection of "hand crafted" beers. The beers are good, the food not so much. It is not that the food is bad, it just isn't good. I've tried their 10oz steak (thin and sliced into 4-5 pieces the kitchen), calamari & jalapeno rings (cooked well, but bland batter), Reuben (plain and uninspiring), and quesadilla (run of the mill). As described by other Yelpers, the service was also poor. Slow, uncaring, just going through the motions. Do yourself a favor, stop in for a brew, then head out for a great meal somewhere else.
(2)Deren S.
Ever since I've moved to Des Moines Rock Bottom has been my go to spot whenever we can't figure where to go out to eat. It has never let me down so far. The menu has something for almost everyone. I think they have one of the best burgers in West DSM, the 2 am burger and pretty good steaks. Price for drinks are a little high for me.
(4)Dan L.
Went here on Black Friday, apparently that was a mistake. Restaurant not very busy but service was terrible, Waited for at least 13 minutes before anyone noticed that we might need a drink, in the bar area. My wife got a burger and coleslaw, burger was ok but the slaw tasted funny. Bartender was not very attentative. If you want to just try something different come here if you want more, Go somewhere else.
(2)J B.
Fun place, nice decor, with very good food! Hubby had a blackened chicken salad and enjoyed it with a Red Ale. I had maybe the best club sandwich I've ever had I think! Service was AOK. They sure gave you lots of food to make up for prices a little on the high side for Des Moines.
(4)Lindsay B.
I enjoy drinking craft beers and I have great respect for brewers who understand how to brew a variety of beers. The brewer at the Rock Bottom in West Des Moines fails to meet the standard of a quality brewer. He/she throws hops into a majority of the beers on tap, which comes off as lazy. The stout is hoppy! The stout! Why? A good and true stout does not have a hoppy taste. There are plenty of other hoppy beers offered on the menu for customers who enjoy hoppy beers. Not everyone likes IPAs and overly hoppy beers. Forcing all the customers to choose from a menu loaded with hoppy beers is insulting.
(1)Stephen O.
I had a citrus-flavored beer. It was good, but not good enough that I wanted another. The sirloin steak was tender, but not real flavorful. The cilantro sauce was good and helped flavor the meat. I was with a group. The service was good and all were pleased with their selections.
(3)David S.
I love going to Rock Bottom! The food is consistently good, the beers are great, and the prices are spot on. Also, all of their burgers are 100% certified Angus beef. I like that they have a few standard brews all year, and they also have seasonal brews. My favorite seasonal brew is the Stand-up IPA. It's a typical IPA but does not have a bitter finish. My wife loves the Pumpkin Spiced Ale that has a sugar ring around the mug! Also, you can buy 60oz growlers of beer to-go!! Even though it is a chain restaurant, it still feels like a local brewery. If you join the loyalty program, which is called Rock Rewards, you get emails with deals like a burger and beer for $10. For the week before Father's Day, you can get a wood-fried pizza and a growler of beer for $12! You also get emails for new beer tapings that occur year round. Rock Bottom is also a family friendly restaurant. My wife and kids frequently go, and it's never too loud or raunchy. They have crayons for kids and a good selection on the kids menu. Always a good time!!
(5)Sara W.
Everything was super tasty! We loved the chorizo pretzel bites. We enjoyed large samplers (don't order a flight, the bartender will say they don't serve flights) The stout was thin. Locals were sweet and helpful.
(4)Bill L.
Came here for lunch before lunch one day and had a good experience! Went in at the exact moment they opened for lunch and the staff members were very friendly and professional. I did not really know what to expect when coming here, I just knew I wanted to come here for a while since I always pass it when going to Barnes and Noble. The menu was extensive, but not overwhelming, I decided I wanted to have their Guac and Chips for the appetizer and their Mac and Chicken for the entree. The Guac and Chips were very very good, probably one of the best I've ever had at a restaurant, you immediately tell the chips are not ordinary with the excellent taste and texture. The Mac and Chicken was good also! It comes in a bowl which makes it look like there's not a lot, but there's a good amount inside! The alcohol list looked nice, but I did not partake in it due to having to work after lunch. Overall, had a great experience. The interior decor is very nice and upscale as well. I am eager to see how their other menu items taste and how the atmosphere is during dinner!
(5)Erin H.
We used to love Rock Bottom and go often before more local craft breweries were opened in recent years. I find their beer just ok, but the food is solid. I like that they keep favorites on the menu, but they also continue to add new options and seasonal dishes. We typically have good service.
(3)Tina S.
I am here for a girls' weekend to celebrate my birthday!!! The food is totally delicious! Service qas just okay...as it got busier, our server got less attentive. ... I get it, I just didn't appreciate it!! I must say again... everything we ordered at our table was amazingly fresh, seasoned and piping hot when brought to our table!
(4)Todd H.
Have been coming here for over 15 yrs and have never had a bad meal or bad experience. Staff is always friendly and attentive and the food and beer is always fantastic! Favorite thing to order is the BBQ chicken pizza and their chicken nachos are some of the best in Des Moines! I've had everything from the sandwiches to the pasta to the steaks and every single time the food is outstanding! It's a great place to bring our 5 yr old son or just me and my wife. Highly recommend coming here!
(4)Karen W.
Stopped while traveling cross-country with our dog-we were worried about leaving him in the car. We asked the manager if we could bring him on the patio and he invited us to bring him inside, if he was well behaved. We did and he hung out under our table while we consumed great beer, big, delicious salads and chicken enchiladas! The service was superior and the food was great. That we could bring our dog in and were so welcoming, made this a great experience! We will not hesitate to visit other Rock Bottom's in the future!
(5)Mike M.
Beers are solid with a nice selection and they have growler fills. This review is more about the reuben as I continue my quest to find the best one, wherever that may be. I've stopped by here before on road trips for a bit and this last time I decided to try the reuben. I was curious about their use of Bavarian style sauerkraut using caraway seeds instead of the standard kraut without the caraway. Sadly, I could not taste the caraway at all in their reuben. The bread was good quality rye, but unfortunately it was pretty much all that I tasted. The corned beef was not as tender as it good be and lacked flavor. The kraut was also fairly flavorless as was the Russian dressing. All in all it was a 2 star reuben. They get an additional star for the beer and service at the bar.
(3)Adam B.
Yelp defines a three star review as "A-OK". That's perfectly accurate for Rock Bottom. At Rock Bottom, you'll get good (not great) food, good (not great) beer, all served with good (not great) service. When it's all said and done, you'll be handed your guest check with a dollar amount that's higher than you're expecting. I don't mean any of that in a negative way (well, except the bill part). I've always liked the food, beer, and service at Rock Bottom. It's all been perfectly fine. However, nothing has ever stood out or come off as exceptional. In a sea of mediocre or inconsistent restaurants, being consistently good matters, and Rock Bottom can lay claim to that. It's a good thing. My only major beef with Rock Bottom is the pricing. It just feels too high and not commensurate with the experience. I'm perfectly comfortable with spending a fair amount of cash on a meal, but the value has to come along with it. Rock Bottom feels like the value derived is exactly equal to dollars spent. A great restaurant should make you feel like you get more value than you're spending. That doesn't mean it has to be cheap -- I can easily justify $60 for two meals and drinks when it feels like the food and service were worth $75. At Rock Bottom, you'll spend $49.99 and get $49.99 in value. Being merely "good" is a major problem when you're in a competitive niche, and the high-end brewpub concept is no slouch in the Des Moines metro. Raccoon River Brewing Company and Exile Brewing Company come to mind as other great local brewpubs (albeit both downtown). Take a trip a little further west down University Avenue and you'll find Granite City Food and Brewery in Clive, where you'll pay very similar prices to Rock Bottom, except you'll get better service, absolutely stupid large portions, and far better beer. You'll be happy if you eat at Rock Bottom. It's perfectly A-OK. You'll just be a lot happier if you eat local at Raccoon River or Exile, or head west down the same road (University Avenue) and eat at Granite City in Clive.
(3)Sherry B.
We love Rock Bottom. It's a casual, comfortable restaurant with great food and great service. The prices are average and their is a decent menu selection with a little bit for everyone.
(5)Jennifer W.
I went yesterday around 4:30. I had the vanilla ale, Blue slider, BBQ pork slider, and fries. My husband had the American slider and buffalo chicken slider. For $2 bucks a slider, it's a pretty good deal. I wasn't a fan of our waitress. She brought the food fast but not very personable or helpful. All in all, I don't ever go out of my way for this place, but I would definitely come back for the Wednesday deal :)
(3)Kelly K.
We've gone here because they have a do-it-yourself pizza on the kid's menu that makes my son very happy, and sometimes that's worth everything. This is usually a meeting place when I get together with my family, seems like a good spot. All the beer I've had here is very good. It seems like they've changed the menu in the last few years and none of it really holds my interest. Last time I had a turkey burger, for something different, it was good, but lacked flavor. We usually meet here for lunch, I like a sandwich and fries for lunch, but the menu doesn't offer that many sandwich options. The ambiance is great, lots of big booths to sit in.
(3)Jeffrey N.
Rock Bottom has some good in house beer but otherwise it's a mediocre chain restaurant in disguise. Given that there isn't much other than chain restaurants in the immediate vicinity, one could do worse. However, that's no excuse for average food. If you are hungry and have a car, drive somewhere else.
(2)Stephanie P.
Really good food and beer. We took a party of 15 here and they had great service. My favorite is the mac and cheese. Menu has lots if choices. Great place for gatherings and enjoying beer.
(4)Travis N.
This place is a TGI Fridays with a really good beer selection. That being established, the food needs work.
(2)Drew H.
The Asiago Cheese Dip on the Beerbread is awesome. Other than that I'd say the menu looks ok, but there isn't a lot of stuff that interests me for entrees.
(3)Joseph D.
If you like beer, this is the place to go. They only have eight or so in-house brews, but they are really tasty. They have awesome food too, and their menu has a great variety. Any flavor, any taste, anybody can find a dish they like here. If you join their "Mug Club" you can earn prizes based on how often you visit. So far, I've earned a pint glass and a baseball cap. The one down side is that after Happy Hour is over, this place really dies down and there isn't much of a "scene" in the later evening.
(4)DeWayne K.
I really like this place, the beer and Mac and Cheese are to die for!! They will also store your personal mug above the bar for a small fee.
(4)